VANCOUVER SUN (British Columbia) 02 December 04 Movies: Jolie: Making pals with a python wasn't so bad (Jamie Portman)
(CanWest News Service) Angelina Jolie isn't into wearing snakes as a clothing accessory in real life, but she soon became accustomed to it during the filming of Alexander.
Jolie plays Olympias, the formidable mother of Colin Farrell's Alexander the Great in Oliver Stone's movie, and this character's most bizarre trait is her affection for reptiles, which lie curled up in her boudoir and frequently end up wrapped around her neck.
Jolie emphasizes that this portrait is historically accurate: Olympias really was into snakes -- as befitted a follower of the god Dionysius. And the Oscar-winning actress found it surprisingly easy to strike a rapport with them.
"When I was first with them, this guy sort of came with his truck and all these snakes. And I thought -- I don't have to do this, this is silly." But, of course, she knew the snake scenes were a big thing as far as director Oliver Stone was concerned.
"We grabbed the biggest python we could and just put it around me, and I spent the day just walking around. At first, I was very careful when doing things like drinking tea." And gradually she felt more comfortable and the python felt more comfortable wrapped around her.
"They didn't de-fang any of the snakes. They just made sure they were fed. Your only fear was that if they did get upset, they would strike your face and bite you. So we were cautious."
If a snake showed signs of getting restless, it was removed from Jolie's body quickly. And no -- she didn't get bitten.
Jolie says the snakes are perfectly in harmony with the personality of a strong-willed woman who teaches her son that fame and conquest are his destiny and that he must be totally fearless.
"They are a really great metaphor for what she says about not being afraid and never hesitating with them -- but also that you can take care of them forever and they will still turn on you. I think that's true of people and it's true of snakes."

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